Hungary & Romania Highlights

Medieval fortresses, haunting tales, and countryside traditions are waiting to be discovered on this eight-day Eastern European journey. Begin in the bustling metropolis of Budapest before venturing off the tourist trail to Romania, where medieval villages, churches, and the storied Bran Castle of Dracula fame await. Along the way, top guides help deepen your knowledge of the region.

Discover Budapest’s historic highlights and hidden gems on a guided walk, Select ingredients at a Transylvanian market and prepare a traditional meal with a local chef, Immerse yourself in the haunting history of Transylvania’s Bran Castle, View splendid medieval frescoes inside Bucharest’s Snagov Monastery.

Dossier Disclaimer

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.

VERYIMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

Itinerary Disclaimer

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered.

Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.

Group Size Notes

Max 16, Avg 12.

Meals Included

7 breakfasts, 2 lunches

Transport

Private bus.

Solo Travellers

We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Please note that day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned on this day. Upon arrival to the city on day 1 (or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation with us), please make your way to the joining hotel (note that check-in time will be in the afternoon). Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note or bulletin board in the reception with a note from your CEO. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on day 1 (usually between 5pm and 7pm), where you will get a chance to meet your CEO and other travellers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details!

If you are arriving later and will miss the Welcome Meeting, your CEO will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need, and with morning instructions for the next day.

Getting to Hotel International Bucharest:

By Taxi: From Bucharest International Airport to the hotel should take approximately 1 hour.

By Public Transportation: Take bus 783 from Aeroportul Henri Coanda Sosiri in the direction of Piata Unirii, until stop Piata Unirii 1 (16 stops). Get off, cross the park and take bus 117 in the direction of Piata Sfanta Vineri for 2 stops, and then get off at Bulevardul Mircea Vodă. Another option is walk from Piata Unirii 1 for 15 minutes to the Hotel International Bucharest.

Emergency Contact

Should you need to contact us during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call our G Adventures Local Office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.

EMERGENCYCONTACTNUMBER

G Adventures Berlin office: +4915203076785

If you are unable for any reason to contact our local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with our 24 hour Sales team, who will happily assist you.

Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge. That said, keep in mind that as a fast-paced trip, there may not be adequate time for laundry service to be completed. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry so we suggest you bring non-polluting/biodegradable soap.

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an ‘emergency’ fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Tipping

It is customary in Europe to leave a small tip for service providers, such as waiters, if you are pleased with the service (€1-2).

Tipping is an expected – though not compulsory – component of your tour program, and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides. You may do this individually, or your CEO will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Recommendations for tipping local guides would range from €3-5 per day, depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture.

Also at the end of each trip if you felt your G Adventures CEO did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline €30-40 per person, per week can be used.

Optional Activities

Please see the itinerary for information on optional activities, descriptions and estimated pricing.

Safety and Security

Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government’s advice for their latest travel information before departure. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe keeping of your passport, air tickets, travellers’ cheques, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home – you won’t need it while travelling. Many of the hotels we use have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. When travelling on a group trip, please note that your CEO has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Your CEO will accompany you on all included activities. During your trip you will have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your CEO will assist you with options available in a given location please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we offer no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgment when selecting an activity in your free time. Although the cities visited on tour are generally safe during the day, there can be risks to wandering throughout any major city at night. It is our recommendation to stay in small groups and to take taxis to and from restaurants, or during night time excursions.

Protests and Demonstrations- Protests and demonstrations, even those that are well intended, have the potential to turn violent with no warning. Counter protests can also turn violent. Action by security forces to disperse demonstrators and protesters may occur at any time. If you are in an area where demonstrators or protesters are gathering, avoid the temptation of staying for a good photo opportunity and leave the area immediately.

We take all prudent measures in relation to your safety. For ways to further enhance your personal safety while traveling, please visit:

Our small group adventures bring together people of all ages. It is very important you are aware that, as a minimum, an average level of fitness and mobility’ is required to undertake our easiest programs. Travellers must be able to walk without the aid of another person, climb 3-4 flights of stairs, step on and off small boats, and carry their own luggage at a minimum. Travellers with a pre-existing medical condition are required to complete a short medical questionnaire, which must be signed by their physician. This is to ensure that travellers have the necessary fitness and mobility to comfortably complete their chosen trip. While our CEOs work hard to ensure that all our travellers are catered for equally, it is not their responsibility to help individuals who cannot complete the day’s activities unaided. Please refer to the physical ratings in this Trip Details document for more information.

Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is a part of local culture in some parts of the world but is not acceptable for our travellers. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter, and in particular the local people who make the world the special place it is. The exploitation of prostitutes is completely contrary to this philosophy. Our CEOs have the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or if they use prostitutes.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your CEO, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy please bear in mind that all clients must have medical coverage and that we require a minimum coverage of USD 200,000 for repatriation and emergency rescue. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.

Planeterra-The G Adventures Foundation

The Planeterra Foundation planeterra.org is a Canadian non-profit organization that helps empower local people to develop their communities, conserve their cultures, and create humane and supportive systems for their endeavours. Planeterra provides capacity building and catalyst grants to get community social enterprises off the ground. These businesses address local challenges by providing benefits for indigenous people, empowering marginalized women, and granting disadvantaged youth access to education, employment, and brighter futures. Planeterra also works to ensure these businesses have a thriving customer base by integrating programs into G Adventures’ itineraries globally.

G Adventures is Planeterra’s largest corporate donor, covering all operating costs so 100% of your donation will bring opportunity to people in need.

Dollar-a-Day Program
G Adventures’ Dollar-a-Day Program provides travellers with the opportunity to give back to the people and places visited on our tours by donating one dollar for every day you are on trip. 100% of these donations go directly to support community development projects worldwide that are implemented by Planeterra.

Feedback

After your travels, we want to hear from you! Your feedback information is so important to us that we’ll give you 5% off the price of your next G Adventures trip if your feedback is completed on-line within 30 days of finishing your trip. Your tour evaluation will be e-mailed to you 24 hours after the conclusion of your trip. If you do not receive the tour evaluation link in the days after your tour has finished, please drop us a line at customerservice@gadventures.com and we will send it on to you.

Newsletter

Our adventure travel e-newsletter is full of travel news, trip information, interesting stories and contests. To avoid missing out on special offers and updates from G Adventures, subscribe at www.gadventures.com/newsletters/

Stay current on how our company invests in our global community through our foundation – Planeterra. Sign up for Planeterra’s monthly news to learn more about how to give back and support the people and places we love to visit.

Minimum Age

You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.

International Flights

Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.

Max Pax

32

Group Leader

2 Chief Experience Officers (CEO) throughout, local guides.

PRODUCT_LINE: EQENG, ID: 25029

Terms, conditions and restrictions apply; pricing, availability, and other details subject to change and/ or apply to US or Canadian residents. Please confirm details and booking information with your travel advisor.

Itinerary

Day 1 Budapest

There are no activities planned until the evening welcome meeting.

Included Activities:
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting

Day 2 Budapest (1B, 1L)

Explore Budapest by embarking on a guided historic tour of the city. Start at Heroes Square and hop on the metro to learn the history of Europe’s second oldest underground transportation system. Discover the Opera House, Liberty Square and Chain Bridge, ending at the Great Market Hall with a typical Hungarian lunch. The afternoon is free to explore.

Included Activities:
Budapest City Tour

Day 3 Budapest/Cluj-Napoca (1B)

Embark on a full-day transfer from Budapest to Cluj-Napoca. Along the way, stop in Egerszalók to visit the Salt Hill terraces. These rare salt springs and water terraces are a great place to stretch our legs or enjoy a picnic.

Day 4 Cluj-Napoca/Sighișoara (1B)

Visit Salina Turda Salt Mine, the world’s deepest underground salt museum and marvel at 2,000 years of history and highly preserved galleries. Learn about all the purposes of the mine over the years, from being used as a World War II bomb shelter to becoming a warehouse for storing cheese. From here, head to Sighișoara and enjoy an orientation walk of the old town on arrival.

Day 5 Sighișoara/Braşov (1B, 1L)

Transfer to the small medieval village of Medias. Together with a local chef, visit the market to pick out fresh ingredients for your Transylvanian cooking class and learn about the cultural and gastronomical influences found in Transylvanian cuisine. In the afternoon, head to the town of Brasov to visit the famous Black Church.

Day 6 Braşov (1B)

Enjoy a free morning to explore Brasov’s baroque architecture and beautiful squares. Later, visit the haunting Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s castle, for a guided visit. Afterwards, head to the castle’s tea house for an afternoon tea accompanied by the on-site historian and learn about the castle’s eerie past and connection with Dracula.

Included Activities:
Bran Castle Visit
High Tea at Bran Castle

Day 7 Braşov/Bucharest (1B)

Travel back to Bucharest, stopping to visit Snagov Monastery and its intricately painted walls. Dating back to the 14th century, the monastery is believed to hold the remains of Vlad the Impaler. Once in Bucharest, enjoy an orientation walk. Opt for a final night out on the town.